Frequently Asked Questions

Flex Program

GENERAL QUESTIONS

How do I know if I'm ready?

The Viking program is designed for highly motivated students who have taken the initiative to get themselves up the first part of the learning curve and have learned enough to know that software engineering is their future career. If you aren't yet at that point, we have a substantial amount of free Prep Work, which we recommend that you use in order to get started. The program is highly challenging but you are able to go at your own pace and with strong support along the way.

How long does the Flex program take?

The program is designed to be completed in 12 months. See the
Flex Timeline Page for more information.

How is the Flex program different from the Immersive program at Viking?

We built a revolutionary online coding bootcamp with the full-time intensive program but there are many reasons why the intensity, time, and expense might not be a good fit for everyone.

The Immersive program requires students to devote 70+ hours per week while intensively pairing with other students along the way. The pace is aggressive and the program is, frankly, life-consuming for the duration. In order to ensure proper fit for this program, we have a rigorous application process that selects only a handful of students for each cohort.

The Flex program allows anyone to take the same course with 1-on-1 support from a professional mentor along the way. Essentially, you have the benefits of our world-class curriculum and support resources while being able to fit it into your life. Unlike the Immersive Program, there is no technical application process for the Flex Program.

How is the Flex program different from the Odin Project?

Viking originally grew out of The Odin Project in 2014 when students there asked for something with more rigor, clarity, depth and support along the way.

You can learn to code on your own just like you can run a marathon on your own. Some people just need a map and a good pair of shoes to get to the finish -- that's the Odin Project. For others, the most efficient use of their time is to join a team with a professional coach who can keep them motivated and ensure that they are training in the most effective fashion possible so they can not just finish but win. That's Viking.

The Viking curriculum covers significantly more material than Odin and in far greater depth (lessons are entirely custom-built). You get access to top tier support via 1-on-1 mentorship from professional developers and live office hour sessions plus mock interviews and direct career support for up to 6 months following the completion of the program. There is no comparison to this level of support along the way.

What technologies are covered during the program?

The program covers the fundamentals and technologies you need to get a job as a full stack developer today. You can learn more about our curriculum in depth on our
Curriculum Page. You can also learn more about our guiding principles and processes on our
Methodology Page.

Is the program challenging?

The Viking program is challenging by design and requires a firm commitment to complete. That's the only way we can effectively teach you how to think for yourself and to step confidently onto the job as an engineer. This means we need you to bring your A-game to the course. Luckily, our community, instructors and mentors are all here at your side to help you navigate the bumps along the way and to finish strong.

What do I need in order to graduate in good standing from the Flex program?

To graduate from the Flex program in good standing, you must satisfy the following criteria:

You have completed all lessons, assignments and projects in the curriculum.

You have received a formal recommendation for job-readiness on both the Back End and Front End portions of the curriculum from your mentor and a staff member.

You have built and launched a personal site containing a portfolio of work, including at least 3 original projects of significant scope and professional quality.

You have completed and demonstrated your group final project to the community.

What do I retain access to after graduating?

Alumni are still present (and active) in our Slack teams. You'll also have access to the course materials for up to 12 months after completing the program so you can brush up on the important stuff.

LOGISTICS QUESTIONS

How do I enroll in the program?

You can join the Flex Program by either clicking one of the prompts on our site or going directly to this page and following the instructions to complete your enrollment.

When can I start the Flex program?

We onboard new students every week on Mondays, so you can start as soon as this coming Monday! You will choose your start date as part of the enrollment process.

Can I finish the program sooner or take more time?

You may finish the program sooner, provided that you complete the graduation requirements. If you are unable to complete the program in the allotted 12 months, you may continue for as long as it takes on the monthly plan.

Can I work with other students?

Yes! We highly encourage you to reach out to other students along the way, whether that's to work on core projects from the curriculum or hacking on side projects or just meeting up in-person in your local area. We've provided tools to help you connect with other students.

Regardless of whether you've worked with another student during the course, your final project will require you to collaborate with at least one other developer.

Should I complete the prep work before starting the Flex Program?

The Prep Work is an essential first step before getting started with the Core Curriculum. The core curriculum builds linearly on top of the prep, so you are required to complete or sufficiently demonstrate the ability to complete the prep work before getting started with the core curriculum.

Many students choose to start the program before fully completing the prep work so they can work with their mentor during their time in the prep work, which is not a problem at all.

Can I start in the middle of the course?

The course is intended to run from start to finish and your access to future materials is contingent on completing the prior projects. Particularly advanced students may be given the option to test out of earlier sections but you will likely need to complete the projects in order to demonstrate sufficient proficiency to move on.

Even students with strong past experience typically find that our materials cover the topics in greater depth than they expected and they find it valuable to progress as normal through it.

What type of computer do I need for the course?

While you can technically code on any machine, we recommend finding your way to a Unix or Linux-based system. You don't need to go out and buy a new Macbook Pro but it's well worth investing a bit of time to familiarize yourself with Linux if you're on Windows now. Whatever computer you choose will need to be capable of running a text editor, opening lots of browser tabs and working with the command line. For example, an iPad will not be enough but a Macbook Air would.

SUPPORT AND CAREER SERVICES QUESTIONS

Who are the Mentors?

We choose our mentors from among professional developers who both have experience with the tools we're teaching and also demonstrate a great personality and strong teaching ability. See the Flex Support Page for more information.

How long will I work with my mentor?

You and your mentor will meet each week until you complete the program.

What does the Career Services look like after graduation?

During your time in the course, you can always ask questions of our staff or trade a normal mentor session for a mock interview. After graduation, we work with you each week to evaluate your progress and to make any changes to your assets (eg resume) or strategy based on the feedback we're getting from the market. When you do get your job offer, we help you with the negotiation process to ensure you get a strong result.

How do the mock interviews work?

You can replace any number of your regular mentor sessions with a mock interview given by another mentor, whether you're working on presenting your story in the phone screen or drilling whiteboarding technical questions. If there are specific things you need to work on, we may set up mock interviews during the after-graduation period as well.

When I have a question, who can I ask?

Our Program Coordinators are your first point of contact, whether that is for a question about the program, help with your resume or just to keep yourself accountable for making progress. For technical questions, our Slack forum and live office hours are sufficient to help you over the bugs.

What happened to the other support options?

We previously offered multiple support options but the current format was clearly proven to be the best option for students to succeed in the course and beyond.

PAYMENTS QUESTIONS

How are payments set up?

On the Standard Plan, you are charged once on your start date.

On the Monthly Plan, we will bill you securely each month beginning on your start date.

For either plan, you will be able to set up either a debit or credit card.

What is your refund policy?

We'll be sorry to see you go but, if the program is not a good fit, you may withdraw with a full refund within the first 2 weeks of your start date.

On the Monthly Plan, when do payments officially stop?

On the Monthly Plan, when you officially graduate from the program, you are no longer responsible for monthly payments and will be credited the remaining portion of that month's payment.

Can I get work to pay for this?

Of course! We can provide the documentation you need to make sure your Continuing Education department (or whoever ultimately decides) knows what you are up to and can contribute to your cost. Contact Us directly with specific questions about this.

Can I switch from the Standard to Monthly Flex payment plan?

You may not change plans except in the case where you need more time to finish the course (see below).

What happens if I graduate early?

On the Standard (up front) plan, you will retain access to your mentor 1-on-1s through the 12 month duration. Most students use these as mock interview practice.

The Monthly plan is available for as long as you choose to stay enrolled. It is typically halted upon graduation but some students opt to continue the plan to retain access to their mentor for extra support during the job search process.

What happens if I do not graduate on time?

On the Standard (up front) plan, if you still haven't graduated in 12 months, you may continue with the course on the Monthly plan from the end of that period for as long as it takes.

Can I pause the course in the middle?

We highly discourage pauses because we've seen them substantially hurt students' forward progress before. If you absolutely must (sometimes life does happen), you are able to pause your enrollment for up to a month one time by notifying us at least 48 hours in advance of your intended pause start and end dates. During your pause, you will lose access to your course materials and you will have no mentor sessions. Upon your return, your access (and billing, if applicable) and mentor sessions will be automatically restarted.

What if I need to withdraw from the course?

You may always withdraw from the course at any time. If you aren't satisfied within the first 2 weeks and withdraw, your full cost is refunded.

On the Standard (up front) plan, you will be refunded a prorated amount based on the total fee paid less a 1 month cancellation fee at the monthly rate.

On the Monthly plan, your plan will be cancelled as of the date of your next scheduled payment (provided we have at least 48 hours notice to do so). You will retain full access in the meantime.

Do you offer payment assistance, scholarships or discounts?

At this time, we don't offer discounts on tuition but will be rolling out programs designed to make this more accessible in the future. Join our mailing list to get information about this in the future.